1
2
as in to swing
to change the course or direction of (something)
the dog turned the stampeding flock of sheep around he turned his cart uphill
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
4
5
as in to revolve
to move in circles around an axis or center
the wheels turned, but the car was hopelessly stuck and wasn't moving
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in to ponder
to give serious and careful thought to
turned the question every which way but could find no answer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
8
1
as in walk
a relaxed journey on foot for exercise or pleasure
would you care to take a turn around the garden?
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in kindness
an act of kind assistance
one good turn deserves another
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in tendency
a habitual attraction to some activity or thing
an adventurous turn of mind that led him toward more physical activities like biking and skateboarding
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in bend
something that curves or is curved
right after this turn in the road you'll find the antiques shop on the right
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in bout
a sudden experiencing of a physical or mental disorder
a sudden turn of dizziness that may have been brought on by a change in her medication
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of turn
Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 1 Feb. 2026
As America approaches its 250th birthday, Burns turned his attention toward the American Revolution in his latest series, telling the stories of the men and women who built America through sacrifice and struggle.
—NBC news, 1 Feb. 2026
Justin Chang, New Yorker, 31 Jan. 2026
What makes a cell turn cancerous is probably a lot of factors.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for turn
Verb
Indeed, nearly a third of the league’s head coaching jobs became available when what began as a potentially mild coaching carousel turned nutty.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 1 Feb. 2026
As America approaches its 250th birthday, Burns turned his attention toward the American Revolution in his latest series, telling the stories of the men and women who built America through sacrifice and struggle.
—NBC news, 1 Feb. 2026
Noun
That mission, in turn, helped launch Sundance satellite events in cities around the world, such as London and Hong Kong.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 31 Jan. 2026
What makes a cell turn cancerous is probably a lot of factors.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for turn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turn
Verb
-
That event included a lineup of multiple DJs that rotated sets at their downtown location.—
Alexa Stone,
Kansas City Star,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Crews worked in rotating 12-hour shifts to continue applying salt, brine and granular materials like sand.—
Julia James,
Dallas Morning News,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Rocky peaks rise sharply from the valley floor, spanning elevations and pockets of habitat that can swing from sweltering to snowing in a single day.—
Joan Meiners,
AZCentral.com,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Except Fresno State issued a coach’s challenge, claiming Green had swung his arm and hit his defender in the neck.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Our minds are incredibly skilled at filling in the gaps in our memories with plausible but incorrect details; this leads people to affirm memories that deviate from reality, or even memories of events that never actually occurred.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Like a suspiciously cheap sofa or a $20 bike helmet, shoes that deviate significantly from standard pricing raise eyebrows.—
Maggie Slepian,
Outside,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Water from the Yamuna – considered sacred and worshipped by millions – has become so polluted by ammonia from industrial waste that water plants have been unable to treat it.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
1 Feb. 2026
-
In Dallas, the cultural shift has given rise to a booming resale market that has quickly become one of the city's most dynamic retail segments -- and that rise is expected to continue.—
Mari Sato The Dallas Morning News,
Arkansas Online,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
There’s also a revolving cast of characters, like musical theater snob Sharpay (Ashley Tisdale), her pianist brother Ryan (Lucas Grabeel), and Troy’s puppy-dog-esque best friend Chad Danforth (Corbin Bleu), all with varying levels of excitement about Troy’s sudden interest in arpeggio scales.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
24 Jan. 2026
-
There’s no revolving bookshelf in place just yet.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
But homeowners like Kahn are already pondering San Jose without Mayor Mahan.—
Julia Prodis Sulek,
Mercury News,
1 Feb. 2026
-
That’s quite a contrast to the floor we were left to ponder after clunky road losses at Central Florida and West Virginia in a week’s span were sandwiched around a somewhat miraculous rally to beat TCU (3-5 in Big 12 play) in overtime at home.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Here’s how to claim your lottery prize For Indiana Lottery prizes, the claim process varies depending on the prize amount.—
Chris Sims,
IndyStar,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Whether the Walmart location closest to you sells lottery tickets depends on your state and the store.—
Jennifer Sangalang,
Florida Times-Union,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The facility outside the city of Isfahan was mainly known for producing the uranium gas that is fed into centrifuges to be spun and purified.—
Jon Gambrell,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Recently, scientists discovered the fastest-spinning large asteroid in the solar system.—
January 31,
NPR,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Turn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turn. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
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